Here in Food Network Kitchens, we love simple, classic recipes. We are also paid to think about food all day. So we’ve taken classic foods and drinks and reimagined them into three, four or five different ways. No standard recipes here, just the occasional technique and pictures. Think of it as a picture recipe.

With Labor Day weekend upon us, it’s time to get our barbecue menus ready for family and friends (check out Food Network’s 5 Best Labor Day recipes). But don’t forget about brunch, too. Start off with a classic: the Bloody Mary. We love cocktails but hate hangovers. Here are five of our favorite “hair of the dog” Bloody Mary hangover cures.

Sometimes the dish you choose for breakfast, lunch or dinner is just as important as the food itself. Everyone’s collection of dishes is unique and tells a different story, and in Dish: 813 Colorful, Wonderful Dinner Plates, House Beautiful Features Editor Shax Riegler examines the wide array of culture and history as it relates to dinner plates.

You can buy your own copy of Dish here, or enter in the comment field below for a chance to win one. To enter: Tell us about one of your favorite dishes in your collection and why in the comments. We’re giving away a copy of the book to three lucky, randomly selected commenters.

When Robert Irvine arrived at Gusanoz in Lebanon, N.H., husband-and-wife owners Nick Yager and Maria Limon were struggling to keep their six-year-old restaurant afloat. Locals once flocked to Gusanoz to taste Maria’s authentic Mexican food, but growing pains got the best of the restaurant and Maria had all but lost her passion for the business. Robert faced a big and expensive mess to clean up, from the decor to the tired menu. A few months after their Restaurant: Impossible makeover, Nick filled us in on how the new-and-improved Gusanoz is doing.

After a slow start, Nick reports that sales at Gusanoz are now steadily growing. To improve their bottom line, the owners took Robert’s advice and cut down on labor costs significantly: “Our total labor is approximately 28% weekly, slightly higher than the 27% Robert asked us for, but definitely in the right ballpark,” says Nick.

Two trucks have already been eliminated on The Great Food Truck Race and fans are voicing their opinions for their favorite in the Fan Vote (you can vote up to 10 times per day). This week, we said goodbye to Barbie Babes and their Down-Under dishes. So that got us thinking: If you had to open up your very own food truck, which truck theme would you most likely identify with? Are you the king or queen of Italian cuisine like Pizza Mike’s or Nonna’s Kitchenette? Or do you dabble in the kitchen with international flavors like Seoul Sausage and Barbie Babes?

We’re teaming up with food and garden bloggers and our friends at HGTV Gardens to host Summer Fest 2012, a season-long garden party. In coming weeks, we’ll feature favorite garden-to-table recipes and tips to help you enjoy the bounty, whether you’re harvesting your own goodies or buying them fresh from the market. Today we’re exploring eggplants.

As far as produce goes, eggplant stands out as one of the few items that can truly carry a meal. I mean, think about it. When dinnertime rolls around, who’s really down for an entire entrée of green beans, carrots or onions? Not me. Eggplant, on the other hand, is meaty and versatile, so there’s no need to give it side dish-only status. Once the slick skin is slid off and it’s all sliced up, it just takes the right addition of heat to take it from its raw, bitter form to supple and slightly sweet.

Now that eggplant is in season, this is the time to give it a headliner position on your dinner table. They’re pretty good throughout the year, yes, but sometimes the smooth purple skins of out-of-season ‘plants are tainted with bruises or the shape is even deformed — and that just won’t do. Rest assured, however, that with the season ranging from July to October, you can find eggplant at its absolute peak for most of the year. As you transition from summer to fall, treat it as the centerpiece of your meals. These recipes should get you started.

If you plan on growing your own eggplant, be sure to check out HGTV Gardens for great tips like how far apart to grow each plant — do not over-plant, as eggplant will produce very well and over a long period of time.

Though the unofficial end of summer is just around the corner, there’s still time for one last outdoor party. Make the most of your Labor Day weekend by hosting a backyard cookout for friends or simply barbecuing with family before the kids head back to school and the rush of weeknight activities begins. We’ve rounded up Food Network’s top five Labor Day recipes to help you celebrate the best flavors and ingredients of the season and pull off an easy, enjoyable holiday get-together.

Now is the perfect time to take advantage of the bounty of late summer produce at farmers’ markets. It’s just starting to cool off, the first fall veggies are popping up, and late summer favorites (like juicy tomatoes!) are still making t...

As far as I’m concerned, summer continues until the squash varieties on the tables at the greenmarket outweigh the piles of tomatoes and corn. In an effort to prolong summer, I revert to the classics — the recipes that make me close my eyes and feel it can’t be any day other than the Fourth of July. This recipe for Blueberry Coffee Cake does that more than any other. It tastes even better as leftovers or warmed with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. You can substitute with other fruits like plums, nectarines and peaches, but it’s best with good ol’ blueberries.

Blueberry Coffee Cake

My mother is a New England gal and I always marveled at the way she ate this dish. While my father and I have been known to eat this as-is or pile on whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, she would put a slice of this cake into a bowl and pour some heavy cream (like a moat around a castle) on it. The unsweetened cream, in its purest state, really highlights the spices and blueberries themselves — try it!

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Tyler Florence's top-rated Chicken Enchiladas are a must-try. With over 800 reviews, this recipe is sure to be a hit with any crowd.

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